Hydraulic turbine



April 0, 1934. G. A. BIGGS 1 1,954,193

HYDRAULIC TURBINE Filed June 21, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .Z/ FIG. 1

- 1N VENTOR 450x55 4. 13/ 5.

Bym z ya 2 A TTORNE XS April 10, 1934. V G. A. BIGGS 1,954,193

HYDRAULIC TURBINE Filed June 21, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3 I

, I .g i i I 1 II! I! II HIM: I '||"li| /4 W E j l/ 15 '"I I l [N VENTOR 92-01245 ,1. 3/666.

A TTORNE Y5 Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims. (01. 253448) My invention relates to hydraulic turbines.

It is the object of my invention to provide a hydraulic turbine which may be used both as a turbine and as a pump without any physical change.

In particular, it is my object to provide a construction which may be utilized in one position as a hydraulic turbine when the water is flowing in one direction and in another position as a pump to cause the water to flow in another direction.

Heretoiore, it has been necessary to go to large expense to provide special pumps in connection with hydraulic turbine installations when water is pumped from the tail race to the head gate 50 that later the Water may flow through the hydraulic turbine.

It is my object to eliminate this excessive expense and to make it more practical to employ the practice of utilizing the hydraulic energy generated by the turbine at one period and of returning the water so utilized for a second use through the turbine by employing off-peak power.

In particular, it is my object to provide a hydraulic turbine runner which, in one position of the buckets or blades and one position of the gates, can be utilized as a hydraulic turbine and, in another position of the buckets or blades and the gates, can be used as a pump.

Referring to the drawings;

Figure 1 is an elevation of the turbine and a gate arrangement showing in full lines the blades used as a turbine and in dotted lines the position of the blades when the turbine is used as a p p;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1 showing in full lines the position of the gates when used as a turbine and in dotted lines in position with the gates when used as a pump:

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the runner showing a typical detail for a blade adjusting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 indicates a draft tube, the fluid entering or leaving the area of the gates at 2 passing over the gates 3 and either entering or leaving the area confined to the draft tube where it engages with or is engaged by the runner vanes 5 which are concave on top and convex on the bottom.

The gates 3 have both ends sharp as at 6. They are pivoted at 7 and may be adjusted in any desired way customary in the art, but, in this distance, they are adjusted from the posi- 55 tion shown in full lines when used for turbine purposes to the position shown in dotted lines when used for pump purposes.

The runner itself comprises a runner shaft 8 which is hollow to receive a longitudinally movable adjusting shaft 9 that adjusts the angular position of the blades 5 that are rotatably mounted in the hub 10 carried by the shaft 8. Any desired means of rotation may be employed. The shaft 9 extends into the hub 10, which has means therein operated by the shaft for rotating the vanes 5. Each vane has a hub 11a journalled in a suitable bearing in the hub. On the inner end of each hub there is a pinion 12 which engages a rack 13, guided in the hub at the point 14. One end of each rack has attached thereto 0 one end of a link 15, which has its other end attached to the yoke 16, mounted upon the shaft 9 for longitudinal movement therewith. By moving the shaft 9 longitudinally the racks 13 move longitudinally and rotate the pinions, and through the pinions the vanes. The lower end of the shaft 9 is supported for longitudinal movement in a sleeve 17. This shaft is moved longitudinally by means of a lever 18, pivoted intermediate its ends to a standard 19. One end of the lever 18 has a yoke 20 thereon, which fits between two shoulders 21 on the ring or sleeve attached to the shaft. The lever is oscillated through a hand grip 22 located on the end of the lever opposite the yoke.

In the position shown in full lines, the blades are adjusted for running as a turbine, the runner being actuated by the water. In the positions shown in dotted lines they have been reversed so as to be set for pumping operation.

By rotating the shaft 9 the blades 5 so adjusted will actuate the water. 7

It will be noted that it is not necessary to stop the rotation of the runner in order to convert it from a pump to a turbine. The rotation of the runner itself is not reversed but always rotates in the same direction as indicated.

When operating as a turbine, the generator is connected into a transmission line, the generator being actuated by the runner shaft 8. It must operate at a speed suitable to the cycles of the line. When the gates and runner vanes are reversed for pumping service, the generator automatically becomes a motor operating at the same synchronous speed as when generating. The motor and/or generator is indicated at 11 and its power lines by 111). By using adjustable vanes the unit can be adjusted for pumping operation so as to obtain the best pumping efficiency for the speed employed.

Thus, when used as a turbine, the construction can utilize the water flowing over it to act as a turbine to generate power on the line.

During periods of off-peak power, power can be supplied from the line to the unit 11 now acting as a motor and while rotating in the same direction can utilize the turbine as a pump and pump back the water utilized during peak power for turbine operation into the head race by thus utilizing cheap off-peak power.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses. I r

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a hub having a runner shaft thereon with an axial hole and a sleeve in line with the hole, a shaft in the hole and the sleeve, a plurality of runner vanes rotatably mounted in the hub, a pinion. on each vane, a rack engaging each pinion, and means to conmeet the racks to the second-named shaft,

x 2. In combination, a hub having a runner shaft thereon with an axial hole and a sleeve in line with the hole, a shaft in the hole and the sleeve,

a plurality of runner vanes rotatably mounted in the hub, a pinion on each vane, a rack engaging each pinion, and means to connect the racks to the second-named shaft, said means comprising a yoke on the second shaft and links connecting the yoke to the racks.

3, In combination with a runner shaft having an axial hole therein, a hollow hub on one end of said shaft having a sleeve in line with the hole, a shaft in the hole having one end in the sleeve, a yoke on the second-named shaft, a plurality of vanes rotatably mounted on the hub, means connecting the yoke to the vanes for rotating the vanes, and means engaging the other end of the second-named shaft for moving it longitudinally in the runner shaft.

4. In combination with a runner shaft having an axial hole therein, a hollow hub on one end of said shaft having a sleeve in line with the hole, a shaft in the hole having one end in the sleeve, a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted on the hub, means on the second named shaft for rotating the varies on the longitudinal movement of said second shaft, andmeans on the otherend of said second shaft beyond the other end of said runner shaft to move said second shaft longitudinally.

GEORGE A. BIGGS. 

